Road condition pathetic even after PMO intervention

The 2.5-km road connecting Malethadka-Barengayi-Gaurimoole-Gundyadka-Padavu in Punacha village is filled with slush, causing inconvenience for the villagers. In spite of the PMO’s direction to the state government, no measures have been taken to repair the very poor stretch of road.

The rain has turned the said road into a slush track. Hundreds of villagers including schoolchildren, college students use this road regularly to reach their destination. The promises of repairing the stretch by political parties have not been fulfilled even after the election. The villagers have appealed the department to convert the stretch into an all-weather road. As they failed to get any response, the villagers have warned of boycotting the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

The residents say that the travelling on the stretch of the road between the months of May to Septembers is no less than a nightmare. Many a times, two-wheelers, autorickshaw, cars get stuck on the slushy road.

Gaurimoole farmer Suresh Nayak had made several attempts to upgrade the road. He had approached the Gram Panchayat, Taluk Panchayat and Zilla Panchayat seeking help. The officials had estimated that Rs 1 crore would be required for laying the concrete road. When none failed to respond, he had written to the PMO and had appealed to direct the authorities to upgrade the road.

The PMO had written to the chief secretary to initiate the measure. The chief secretary, in turn, had directed the Zilla Panchayat CEO to submit a report. Bantwal Taluk AEE had even inspected the road and submitted a report that Rs 1.25 crore would be required to develop the stretch into an all-weather road. However, no progress has been seen so far.